The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Science. The lowest is 41% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Solomon/plains El Sch
Solomon/Plains Elementary is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade school in Plains Township on the outskirts of Wilkes-Barre, part of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District. The school enrolls a student body of mixed racial and ethnic composition, with a substantial white plurality alongside a significant Hispanic population and smaller African American and multiracial cohorts. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic hardship across the school's families.
The school's most recent state assessment results show moderate performance. In math and ELA on the 2024-25 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment for grades three through five, proficiency rates sit in the low-to-mid range. Science performance, measured in 2022-23, was notably stronger. Across all three subjects where data is available, Solomon/Plains ranks in the top quartile of proficiency among elementary schools in Luzerne County, a position that reflects the tested population but also indicates the school is performing above the median in its county peer group.
Science results warrant particular mention: the proficiency rate there reached a much higher level, a meaningful contrast to the lower rates in math and ELA. A parent considering this school may want to explore with the school directly what accounts for that divergence and what the school is doing to strengthen literacy and numeracy instruction. The school does not report data on English learners or special education enrollment, so families with students needing language support or special services should ask the school about those populations and services directly.
Plains Township itself is a mixed-character suburban place on the Wilkes-Barre periphery, blending quiet residential neighborhoods with one of Northeastern Pennsylvania's busier commercial corridors anchored by Mohegan Pennsylvania casino and hotel, healthcare institutions including Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, and retail and hospitality businesses. Most residents own their homes. The township's population has remained essentially flat over recent years, though commercial and hospitality investment, particularly the casino's recent renovations, continues. Housing values in the school's zip code are moderate relative to state and national benchmarks, and monthly housing costs relative to median household income are reasonable, making the area accessible to working families. Daily life centers on auto-oriented corridors rather than a walkable street grid.
The broader Wilkes-Barre Area School District has undertaken significant change in recent years. Three historic city high schools merged into a single consolidated high school that opened in 2021-22 in Plains Township, reshaping secondary pathways and school identity. More recently, the district approved a 2024-25 budget with no property tax increase and a plan to actually decrease homeowner tax bills, while funding up to dozens of additional teaching positions to reduce elementary class sizes and expand STEM Academy capacity. The district is also mid-way through capital renovations in all buildings except the new high school, including energy-efficient upgrades to lighting, HVAC, and physical infrastructure, funded from an existing capital fund without new borrowing.
Solomon/Plains Elementary sits within a district making deliberate moves to stabilize taxes, add teaching capacity in the elementary years, and refresh its physical plants. The school's performance is solid by county standards, though the gap between science and ELA/math results is worth understanding further.
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